Vo-tech school could revive Newark neighborhood

AMANDA BROWN/THE STAR-LEDGEREssex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo (left) speaks to Rev. Edward Leahy, Essex County Vo Tech School Board President, while looking at an aerial photograph of the United Hospitals Medical Center in Newark. DiVincenzo held a press conference to speak about consolidating all three county vo-tech schools into one location in the unused United Hospitals property in Newark.
The deteriorated carcass of United Hospitals of Newark stands smack in the middle of a neighborhood that has been fighting to resurrect itself.

A citizens group called BAND, Block Association Networking District, got the city to create a revitalization plan for the neighborhood that was recently approved by the Newark Planning Board. The plan is now the official blueprint on everything from zoning rules and streetscapes to new housing and commerce. There are plans for long-term development, and suggestions for what can be done immediately to provide jobs and revenue and green space, such as putting tree nurseries on vacant lots.

When it comes to what’s boarded and vacant, the ugliest thing in the neighborhood is the United site— which is partially owned by Essex County. After the hospital closed in 1997, the county administration in power at the time squandered $6.5 million to buy 40 percent of the site — from a doctors’ group that had paid less than $800,000 for the whole thing a few months before the deal. The site was supposed to become a county mental facility, an idea that died as too difficult and expensive.

The deal made the county and the doctors partners in a condo-type arrangement and they have been fighting in court over what the county could do with its part. Clyde Pemberton, head of the doctors group, has insisted the county honor a clause that says the site must be used for medical purposes.

That unfortunate partnership is the stone that must be rolled away if the county is going to enact the good idea that the current county executive, Joseph DiVincenzo Jr., announced this week. He wants to build a new county vocational high school on the site to replace three vocational high schools — two in Newark, one in West Caldwell. DiVincenzo says the buildings are in good shape and can be sold to charter schools or the local districts, but are too old to configure for the wiring and other needs of a modern high-tech, computer-tech, green-tech, vo-tech curriculum.

New legislation makes the school plan feasible by increasing the state’s share of construction funding from less than 50 percent to 90 percent. DiVincenzo has long argued for the higher level of state aid because the majority of the county’s vo-tech students come from the "special needs" districts of Newark, Irvington, East Orange and Orange. He says he does not want any "new money" from the state, just $20 million of the $50 million the state has already set aside for vo-tech construction. He said he will use it to build the best vocational high school in the country.

In fact, the community around United has suffered much, and that school has to be a community resource that serves its residents. The school should become a model for adult education and career programs. The library, computers, recreation facilities and meeting space should be open to residents.

The Rev. Mamie Lee, president of BAND, says the group has not taken a formal vote on the proposal, but she likes the idea and other members of the group told her they do as well. So it looks as if DiVincenzo will get community support.

Will Pemberton support it? DiVincenzo says the doctor likes the idea, but there is no agreement about the disposition of the property.

After DiVincenzo’s announcement, I tried to catch up to Pemberton. His office said he was under the weather. Hope he gets better. I also hope he gets on board.

Previously, Pemberton said he wanted the United site to be used for health care, to make up for the medical services that were lost when United closed. Pemberton has used his part of the complex for a day care center that takes special needs children, and to provide addiction services to adults with drug or alcoholism problems.

No doctors’ offices, or dentists’ offices, however.

Some of his critics say Pemberton is just trying to hold the county up for another big payday.

What do I think? Far better-looking properties have been snatched up in the name of eminent domain for projects with far less real public value. I think the neighborhood, which has been working hard to overcome, has been punished enough. It’s time for everyone to get on board.